NEW CHALLENGE & TRI-CITY-ATHLON!

Friends,

Just quick update, about 3 topics:

1. I have rethinked my next challenge and moved it earlier to August 22nd, 70.3 Ironman Cobra Philippines, if my ITBS and training is enough to race it under 7 hours...as my first HIM event!

2. Friends, please, I would like all of you to help if you can to one request from one of my Dragons mates for one person affected some years ago by Leukemia that she needs us to vote to get a place for that TRI-CITY-ATHLON race! I attach her message...and link to vote...she needs all our support!

"Hi everyone,

I have a special request to make. My little sister has 'entered' me
into the Eurostar Tri-City-Athlon this coming September 14th. The 3
different disciplines are being held in 3 different cities - the swim
is in Paris , the bike leg is in Brussels and the run leg is in
Regents
Park in lovely London town!

The other slight difference to this event is that I have to gather
enough votes to firstly be placed within the top 50 entries. Then, a
panel of judges will pick 20 competitors to participate in the event.
If I am lucky enough to survive the first round and be chosen as one
of the competitors, I will use the Tri-City-Athlon to raise money for
the Anthony Nolan Trust, a UK based leukaemia charity that I have
worked closely with over the past few years (http://
www.anthonynolan.org.uk/).

It's with this in mind that I ask for a few minutes of your time to
vote for me!!

You can click on the link below to vote:

http://www.eurostartricityathlon.com/home-page(en)/view-entry.aspx?id=5640
(either click on the right where it says LOGIN WITH FACEBOOK, or
create a profile on the Eurostar page and then look for my entry -
filter MOST VOTES and I should be at the bottom of the 1st page, at
least I was this morning!)

Only one vote is allowed per person so please feel free to forward
onto friends and family!!! Voting ends on the 8th June.

Thank you very much!

Kitty"

3. Last but not least, since last Tuesday, nice training sessions, including, Yoga on Tuesday, Technical running training on Wednesday, Indoor bike training on Thursday, Long Swim on Friday, Long Bike on Saturday and Long Run on Sunday, rest on Monday and Bike training today in Shanghai...and my ITBS is behaving!!!

Cheers from Shanghai...without "works" clean and ready for Expo 2010!!! Looks really different from last months!!

"XTB" Xavi.

HELP...I LOVE KIDS! DO YOU?

Friends,

I just ask you to watch that videoclip and afterwards think just during 5 minutes how you can help those kids...if you want my help, I am actually working with different NGO's:

I hope you enjoy the video:

Cheers from Hong Kong!

"XTB" Xavi.

P.S: Thank Clóvis for sending me that video to share!

SOUTH BAY OCEAN SWIM & 10K...

Friends,

Just quick update about my weekend:

1. Saturday morning...South Bay Ocean Swim, in theory, 1.8 K, but, as per my GPS, 1,430 m in 21'38'', but, official ime of 22'04'', 10th AG 35-39 and 49th out of 197 swimmers.
http://www.revolution-asia.com/Assets/Revolution+Asia+Digital+Assets/Results/SouthBayOceanSwim_RaceResults.xls

2. Sunday afternoon...10K running training without drinking any liquid at 29.Celsius and 88% humidity...nice training...and my ITBS is not hurting so far so good!!
47m 37s 10.00 kms 04m 46s/KM (first km was not tracked in my GPS)...

Min HR: 86
Avg HR: 165
Max HR: 181
5:46 PM



Talk to all of you very soon!

"XTB" Xavi.

ITU PLOVER COVE TRIATHLON...

Friends,

My second ITU Triathlon Plover Cove, 2h45'03'' (AG: 17th, Overall 91st of 203 male participants)...really, I don't know what to say about it, but, I believe that not having train for this one and being just trying to recover from my ITBS...result is not so bad.

mmmm let me find my bike!!quick swim...

Short race chronicle: over 28 degrees and 90% humidity...tough...I believe I drank over 5 litres of electrolyzed water during this race.

Swim: 25'50'' aprox. I started like 30'' later than everybody,as start was supposed to be at 6.10 am, but, advanced it to 6.00 am and I was talking with my Dragons team mate Richard...anyway. Water was very calm but disgusting fueled and very polluted...but I focused on my rithym and despite of doing several S overall result not too bad.

Bike: first uphill, I needed to dismount the bike and do it walking last 50 meters...exteremly high percentage, over 17%...afterwards, was an uphill and downhill circuit which does not help me with my 99 Kgs...anyway, I believe I finished it in 1h20'...not too fast not too slow! ;-) I tried dismounting as the pros...but did not have time to unstrap on time my right foot, funny picture, one foot totally off, the other one, still on mike shoe...lol. Anyway, next time, I need to starte earlier that process!! but at least I tried it.

Run: close to 60'...still weak on my endurance basically caused by my 6 to 8 weeks off training due to my ITBS...my knee was OK...but, I trained my running and walking technique before arriving to water stations...for 30'' to 45'' (I know this is used for 70.3 and IM above...)but as my injury started bothering me after Km 5, I decided to keep on that technique...losing close to 5 mins overall, but, saving my knee to finish much worst! Btw, running was very boring, as it was just 2 loops above a bridge and very foggy...and humid...I wish I could have my iPod to listen to music, as I do during my trainings!

Overall, I can say I had finished my second ITU Triathlon Olympic Distance without specific training...and I really enjoy, as I was not pushing hard for the restul but taking it as training....my time, I know could be much better...but will come once I will be 100% recovered of my ITBS knee and a constant training.

Talk to you in my next post...and hopefully will post  pictures from that triathlon!

"XTB" Xavi.

BLACK OR WHITE? ...& NEW DRAGONS WEBSITE!

Friends,

Let me just explain you why this title...

I would like to start with 3 significant quotes from Confucius:

1. "Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated."
2. "Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall."
3. "It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop."

As some of you know by reading my latest posts, I am "finishing" to recover from an ITBS injury over last 8 weeks, but, I did a big mistake, thinking I can follow a 70.3 Ironman plan (for my first one, as you can see on my prior post) training 12 to 14 hours...let's be realistic and follow Confucius wisdom..."Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall."

Why do I want to complicate my life? Is just simple, I am a father of two wonderful kids, husband of a fantastic wife and professional committed to my Company...and I love practising sports,as amateur.
Why should I follow a so exhaustive and not able to coordinate with my actual busy life which will make it much more difficult? To get a better 70.3 Ironman result? Not needed. Get fit faster? Not needed, check second and third Confucius quotes above.

Then, I have taken my final decision for my triathlon training plan...and taking in consideration that my 2 weakest sports are run and bike. I am OK with my swimming. I will try to train maximum  6 days per week, as it follows:

Monday>      Swim immersion training or long swim session. (1h)
Tuesday>      Bike session: tempo. (1h)
Wednesday> Running sessions coached by Michael Maiers (Dragons Top Triathlete) (1h)
Thursday>     Bike session: tempo or yoga session. (1h)
Friday>         Rest or long run. (max. 90 mins)
Saturday>     Long bike (max. 180 mins) or sport event (Splash'n'Dash, OWS or Dragons Training sessions)
Sunday>       Rest or long run (if not done on Friday) (max. 90 mins)
Total maximum hours per week = 8.5 hours of training.

As you can see, I have created a very flexible training plan including different type of trainings and  could suit better according to my daily working and family calendar...no more than 6 days training, and between 4 to 6 days "It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop." (Confucius).

Last but not least, I would like to introduce to all of you, updated Hong Kong Dragons  Triathlon Club website: http://sites.google.com/site/dragonstriclub/

Talk to you next post...but to finalize my post, let me just add to last Confucius quotes...that summarize my decision:
"When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don't adjust the goals, adjust the action steps."
"Wherever you go, go with all your heart." by Confucius.

"XTB" Xavi.